Carl Hörvik

¨Of quality we do not speak, for there can be no beauty without quality.¨

The Swedish Pavilion at the World Exhibition held in Paris, 1925, was a watershed moment in which Swedish design entered the world stage. As explained in the preface of the exhibition’s catalogue, Sweden was recognized by the international public for its objects of high quality and luxury. This was the result of a strong symbiosis of artist and manufacturer. One of the designers driving this participation was Carl Hörvik, working together with several manufacturers in the first half of the 20th century.

The Swedish architect Carl Hörvik was born in 1882 in the south of Sweden. He graduated from the Institute of Technology in Stockholm in 1909. His career ascended upon his return to Sweden in 1913, following a study trip to Great Britain and the USA. The young architect was commissioned to design several buildings, one of which the interior of the Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg, 1916. He contributed to the Gothenburg Exhibition in 1923, during which his design was remarked as one of the most exceptional interiors of the exhibition.

One of the works he showcased at the Gothenburg Exhibition in 1923 was the ‘Blomster’ side table. The squared table was designed a few years prior for a cast iron competition initiated by Svenska Sköjdföreningen and Näfveqvarns bruk foundry. The frame was made out of cast iron, with a Swedish limestone top, and marks the beginning of his many works in cast iron. Only produced for one year, the ‘Blomster’ side table remains extremely rare, with only four known to exist today. This example was included in the ‘Swedish Grace’ exhibition at the National Museum in Stockholm, 2022. 

Another example of cast iron furniture he designed in 1927/29 exclusively for ‘Stadshotel Båstad’ (Hotel Skansen). He later introduced the design for the restaurant Lindgården in Stockholm, 1930. The table and chairs were made out of cast iron with wood and slate; robust designs able to withstand the elements. 

The side table and white lacquered chairs pictured below, were included in our latest exhibition, 'Garbo Talks'. Curated by Lee F. Mindel, in collaboration with Galerie56, New York City. 
 

The neoclassical stool was designed a few years later, and shown at the renowned Paris Exhibition in 1925. The stool was made out of forged iron, with an impressed decoration. The knobs and applied decoration are carefully crafted in brass. The seat is made out of decorated velvet. This model was made in a very small number, commissioned for the workshop and interior studio of Swedish textile designer Elsa Gullberg.

His many experiences during the 1910s and 1920s, resulted in Hörvik being appointed architect for the Tenants’ Sparkasse - & Byggnadsförening (HSB). The HSB was a national association which was formed in 1924, a time in which there was a severe housing shortage in Sweden. The task was to provide its members with good housing. It opened its own furniture boutique in 1929, providing the public with high quality furniture’s.

The renowned and historically important Stockholm Exhibition in 1930 functioned to introduce the new functionalist style to Scandinavia. HSB was asked to show several apartments, of which number 4 was designed by Carl Hörvik. The apartment was designed with an open and bright living room, suitable for a large family. The armchair displayed near the window was later acquired by Oskar Bengtsson, who was the director of HSB. 

The designs by Carl Hörvik showcase the importance of a tight collaboration between the artist and the manufacturer, resulting in many beautiful objects that have made significant contributions to Nordic design. Due to this partnership, objects were raised to a higher artistic level.